| Title: | Robert McElderry, Lynchburg, Va. to Anne McElderry, Ballymoney. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3827 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | mcelderry, robert/82 |
| Year | 1837 (1857?) |
| Sender | McElderry, Robert |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | businessman (dry goods) |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (joins The Presbyterian Church At Some Point) |
| Origin | Lynchburg, Virginia, USA |
| Destination | Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McElderry, Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 2414/5: Copied by Permission of Dr. Helen Megaw, c/o 66, Malone Road, Belfast, 9. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007065 |
| Date | 05/09/1837 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 03:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 807 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lynchburg 5th Sept [September?] 1837 Dear Sister I received your letter and brother [Thomas's?] in due time and David Boyds' yesterday I was very much alarmed when I commenced reading Davids' letter I thought when I read one line the next would tell me of Elizabeths death I was indeed very much relieved when I heard that she was pronounced out of danger I hope you will not wait for a letter from me untill [until] you write to me again as I will be very anxious to hear how sister is & should have liked exceedingly to have been in W Peters' place when he was in Ballymoney among all of my friends and old acquaintances but that cannot be at least for some time but I am always hoping there is a better time a coming Mr Peters arrived in New York on Sunday night last the 1st of Sept [September?] he said he had a rough passage but he did not mind it as he was never sea sick all of his old friends are very anxious to see him home again and I expect he will be worried to death to give a discription [description?] of all he has seen since he left home The ladies are also anxious to see the new goods and I hope they will purchase a good many goods as I think we will have a good many to sell We had a long continued drought this summer which [in-ured?] [?] the tobacco and corn crops a good deal this rain come when people thought it was much too late to do any good but every thing since then has revived so much that all begin to think there will be at least an average crop made The cry is always much worse than the reality with all folks only Irish farmer excepted All who are able ought to leave the place and let landlords cultivate their own estates and see what they can make of it It seems that not untill [until?] it will be done by force will poor farmers have any privilages [privileges?] granted them you may well say granted when they get anything how they have to beg for it they get not as their right but as something bestowed on them by kind and indulgent Gentlemen men who are born to be so if they are the manest [meanest?] creatures who ever wore the human form in this country to be a great mans son is no recommendation every man has to do for himself I am always thinking that David Boyd ought to sell his place in [Drukendult?] and come out to this country he would not have to labour so hard as he now does and one thing is very certain he would make something for himself and family but I suppose he is to [too?] much attached to home to think of anything of this kind and you at home even were he willing would hardly let him get away I think it would be a good thing if all of you would gather up #PAGE 2 all you have got come over to this country and form a small Colony If any of you were to live here for some time I believe you never would want to live in Ireland again I was very glad you mentioned about John [Liggat?] staying for some time in Ireland as [Mr?] Peters when he wrote to us from New York did not say anything about him [Mr?] Leggats people were very much pleased to hear that he was well and when he intended coming home I suppose [Mr?] Peters forgot or else he thought Mr [Liggat?] intended writing himself When you write to me next time make both of the Johns write pieces to me and enclose them in your letter & I should like very much to hear from them and how they are getting along and if [Leitrim?] John if that is his name as yet, has commenced to farm any and if Brother John still sticks to his determination to be a preacher I suppose by this time you will have good corn markets [?] as large now as the [they?] were before the potatoes failed Does James Parly always live in Ballymoney if does give my respects to him and tell him I should be very glad to hear from him I hope by this time all of you are quite well and that Elizabeth has entirely recovered from her sickness Give my respects to all old friends Dan Tom Joe and the others I am ever your affectionate Brother Robert McElderry I will soon write again as soon as [Mr?] Peters comes home I had a letter from Robert Mathews not long since he and all his friends were well and doing well To Miss Anne McElderry Co Antrim Ballymoney Ireland |
